L85A1 was crap due to regular jams, it couldn't stand sand or water in which case it would have been more lethal to just throw it at the enemy and run. The L85A2 (H&K version) version though ironed the problems out, now on average the rifle should only jam after every 80,000 rounds fired. But before that even happens it would have had a number of services, which means it should never jam (again). You've got to remember that the SA80 is one of, if not the first bull-pup assault rifle. With the addition of rails replaced the fore-grip its probably one of the best service rifles at the moment, its been 30 years in the making.

It makes sense, the police did get the aging MP5s replaced with the G36. But Im glad H&K sorted the problems out, which means the tax payer has made a saving rather then buying an all new standard service rifle.

* Nice on a range,very accurate* It breaks like a childs toy. * The mags fall to bits and empty all your ammo into the bottom of the trench.* When you use the SUSAT, you lost peripheral vision and lost situation awareness.* Too short as a close quarter weapon * Useless for bayonet fighting.* Too many parts which don't fit particularly well, thence too much jamming. * need too much cleaningetc.

Well the new L85A2 has had its aluminium mags replaced with a plastic Magpul magazines, the SUSAT sights have been replaced by ACOGs. The SAS use the MP5s still and thats shorter then the L85A2 (even in the A1 version) but it is alot shorter then the AR-15 or M16A4. The L22 is a carbine version and is meant for AFV crews. No one uses bayonets anymore for CQC. The rifle comes apart in 5 internal pieces (for all versions including the cadets L98), hardly too many parts. I don't know if this Para is in 3rd Battalion but he sounds like it. 1PARA and 2PARA wouldn't be complaining like that.

They still use Bayonet in CQC, during the deployment in Iraq, the British Army did launched a bayonet charge against the enemy.This happened in 2004, when a patrol of 20 British troops in Basra were ambushed by about a hundred Iraqi Shia militiamen.they were running out of ammo and the Iraqi gunmen were moving closer. So they fix bayonets and charge. After close quarter combat with bayonet: